Switch mounting device



Aug. 1967 w. J. cERvENY ETAL 3,337,763

' SWITCH MOUNTING DEVICE Filed Aug. 22, 1966 a C q z er eruen UnitedStates Patent 3,337,708 SWITCH MOUNTING DEVICE Walter J. Cerveuy,Vestal, and Charles M. Dino, Endicott, N.Y., assignors to AmphenolCorporation, Broadview, 11]., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 22,1966, Ser. No. 573,957 12 Claims. (Cl. 200-168) The present inventionrelates to a switch mounting device and is directed particularly to sucha device especially adapted to mounting a switch on a panel or wallelement in an arrangement in which the switch is positioned on one sideof the panel and has an actuating button projecting therethrough formanual manipulation on the other side.

Such switches heretofore have usually been mounted by means of rivets,screws, bolts etc., which extend through mounting elements on the switchand through the panel. This means of mounting the switch isdisadvantageous because, first, in the case of a miniature switch, suchrivets, screws, etc, in order to be large enough to be manually worked,are often disproportionately large to the switch and when the switch isto be used in the surroundings corresponding in dimensions to itself,the securing means often cannot be readily utilized, for lack of space,or because of interference with the switch or mounting means in theprocess of mounting it; second the appearance of the securing meansprojecting through the panel is many times less than desired, because ofthe disproportionate size as well as its mere presence itself.

A broad object of the present invention is to provide a novel means formounting a switch which obviates the disadvantages set out above, andmore particularly to provide such a mounting device which positions thesecuring means mostly on one side of the panel which in the normal usethereof may be considered the rear side, or that side out of view.

Another and more specific object is to provide a mounting means of theforegoing general character which be-' cause I of the specialarrangement for positioning the securing means, improves the appearanceof the panel on which the switch is mounted.

Still another, and more specific, object is to provide a mounting meansof the foregoing general character which embodies a detail structurewhich includes elements engaging the marginal edges of the opening inthe panel through which the manually actuatable element of the switchextends.

A further object is to provide a device of the foregoing generalcharacter which is extremely simple in design and construction, isinexpensive, and quick-acting in its application to the switch and tothe panel.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from thefollowing detail description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings wherein-.-

FIGURE 1 is a .face view of a panel on which a switch is mounted bymeans of the mounting device of the present invention, also showing,partially in full lines and partially in dotted lines, the mountingmeans and switch themselves;

FIGURE 2 is a view from the right of FIGURE 1 but showing the panel insection;

FIGURE 3 is a view oriented according to FIGURE 2, on a larger scale andpartially in section, showing details of construction of the mountingdevice; and

FIGURE 4 is a rear view of the mounting device taken from the right ofFIGURE 3 and on a smaller scale.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the mounting device of theinvention is indicated at and is shown mounting a switch 12 on a panel14. The switch 12 is of conventional characterand need not be describedin detail,

but it includes a body 16 and an actuating button 18 which, when theswitch is mounted in position, extends through an elongated opening 20in the panel 14.

The panel 14 may be any of various kinds of members on which the switchmay be mounted, for example,,an outer wall of a container 21 having atop element 22, and utilized for housing a number of instrumentstherein, including the switch itself. Regardless what the specificconstruction or use of the element 14 is, the term panel is utilized,for convenience, to designate it generically. The panel has an inner orrear surface 24 and an outer or front surface 26, the switch beingmounted on the rear surface and the button 18 being exposed on the outersurface of the panel.

The mounting device 10 is a single integral member, preferably made ofplastic. Any of various kinds of plastic may be utilized for thepurpose, but polypropylene is preferred, this material providing greatstrength and capable of being bent or flexed a great number of timeswithout damage thereto, as will be referred to again hereinbelow. Thedevice 10 includes a generally flat, elongated body member 28 having afront surface 30 to be fitted against the inner surface 24 of the paneland an inner or rear surface 32. The body member is provided with acentral aperture 34 of nearly the dimensions of the opening20,preferably of the same width and of nearly the same length, thisaperture being in register with the opening when the device is mountedin place. Adjacent the ends of the apertures are hooks 36 extendingacross the aperture and integral with the portions defining the sideedges of the opening. Each hook includes a shank 38 extendingperpendicularly from the body portion from the front side 30 thereof,and a hook element 40 having an inclined camming surface 41, the twohook elements extending away from each other or toward the respectiveends of the body members. The hook elements overlie small end apertures42, these apertures being provided to enable elements of the mold inwhich the device is cast to extend therethrough, to enable the mold tobe made up solely of parts that may be separated from each other bymoving them directly apart, and without undercuts, the hook elementsextending no greater longitudinally than the end apertures 42. Ifdesired, the undersurfaces 44 of the hook elements may "be inclineddownwardly in direction toward the ends of the body member, a slightamount to provide greater gripping action on the panel in the mountingthereof.

The ends of the body member 28, at 46, form extensions or cars beyondthe aperture 34, and have pins 48 extending from the rear surface 32thereof for mounting the switch 12.

The switch 12 as noted above is a conventional switch and includes acasing having ears 50 overlying the cars 46 and having aperturesreceiving the pins 48. The switch is fitted in position with thoseapertures so receiving the pins 48 and friction clips 52 of known kindare fitted over the pins, holding the switch in position on the mountingmember.

The arrangement is such that the button 18 extends through the aperture34, and the mounting device, with the switch thereon, is then put inposition by inserting the button and the hooks 36 through the opening 20in the panel, and in this step the hooks due to their inclined outercamming surfaces 41, and engaging the marginal edge of the opening, areflexed inwardly and upon their being fully projected through theopening, snap outwardly and engage over the marginal edges of theopening 20. Because of the slight inclination of the under surfaces 44,the hook elements firmly grip the outer surface of the panel and securethe body member 28 firmly and flatly against the inner surface of thepanel.

The securing portions of the switch are entirely concealed behind thepanel, or within the container 20, as the case may be, and the area ofthe outer surface of the panel, around the hooks 40, is entirelyunencumbered, this being particularly notable in the absence of rivets,screws, etc., as noted above which normally would be in line with thepins 48.

In the form of switch 12 illustrated, the button 18 is of the slidingtype, being slidable between opposite positions engaging the respectiveones of the hooks 36, but of course the arrangement will accommodate anykind of element intended for manual access, whether for sliding,push-pulling, turning, or even a stationary element. The hooks 40 are ofextremely small dimensions and are inconspicuous and the opening 20 inthe panel, to accommodate the present mounting device, need be onlyslightly larger than heretofore, namely only large enough to accommodatethe thickness of the shanks 38 of the hooks in the direction of thelength of the opening.

Previously in the case of a miniature switch which for example may beless than an inch long in vertical direction as viewed in FIGURE 2, thesecuring means would be disproportionately large and would at least inmany cases impair the appearance of the installation. Additionally itwas often diificult to apply such large securing means, and furthermoreit was quite often difficult to remove the securing means as when it wasdesired to remove the switch and replace it. In the present instancethose difficulties and disadvantages are overcome, and the switch, withthe mounting device applied thereto, is quickly mounted by the simplestep of inserting the button 18 and the hooks 40 through the opening.The hooks snap inwardly to pass by the marginal edges of the opening 20and snap outwardly into locking position when fully inserted through theopening. The switch is easily releasable by flexing the hooks inwardly,or only one of them, as by squeezing inwardly with the fingers, andwithdrawing the switch from position. The polypropylene plastic materialof which the mounting device is made is extremely strong and susceptibleof being flexed numerous times without weakening or being otherwisedamaged.

While we have disclosed herein a preferred form of the invention it willbe understood that changes may be made therein within the spirit andscope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A device for mounting an instrument on a panel, the instrument havingan element projectable through an opening in the panel for manual accesson the opposite side of the panel, the mounting device including a bodyportion adapted to be fitted to the panel and having an apertureregisterable with said opening in the panel of receiving said element ofthe instrument, and also having extensions laterally of the aperture forsecurement of the instrument thereto by means of which the instrument issupported entirely by the mounting device, and the mounting deviceincluding mounting elements at the marginal edges of the apertureextendable into said opening and operatively engageable with themarginal edges of the opening for mounting the device, and theinstrument, on the panel.

2. A mounting device according to claim 1 and wherein the mountingelements are movable into and out of operative engagement with the panelfor releasably so mounting the device and the instrument on the panel.

3. The invention set out in claim 2 wherein said mounting elementsinclude a pair of hooks having hook elements extending away from eachother and engageable with opposite marginal edges of the opening in thepanel and yieldably movable toward each other for releasing them fromthe panel for removal of the mounting device and instrument.

4. A mounting device according to claim 3 and wherein the mountingdevice is a single integral member of plastic material including a bodyportion having a flat surface adapted to be flatly fitted to the innersurface of the panel, and the hook elements extend generallyperpendicular from the body portion and each includes a shank with ahook element on the outer end thereof, and the shanks are of suchflexibility, and the hook elements are of such extent perpendicular tothe direction of the shanks, that at least one of the hooks is flexibletoward the other sufficiently to release the hooks from the engagedmarginal edges of the opening.

5. A mounting device according to claim 4 wherein the plastic materialis polypropylene.

6. A mounting device according to claim 1 wherein said extensions on thebody portion have pins extending generally away from the panel when thebody portion is fitted thereto, said pins serving as means for mountingthe instrument on the mounting device.

7. A mounting device according to claim 3 wherein the body portion is agenerally fiat piece having a front surface fitted to the panel and anopposite rear face, said hooks have shanks extending generallyperpendicular to the body portion and the hook elements extendlongitudinally and away from each other, said extensions on the bodyportion extend longitudinally beyond said aperture, and mounting pinsprojecting perpendicularly from said rear face for securing theinstrument to the mounting device.

8. A mounting device according to claim 7 wherein the hooks are ofyieldable material and movable into and out of operative position inwhich the hook elements engage the marginal edges of the opening in thepanel, and the ends of the hooks remote from the body portion havinginclined camming surfaces operative upon insertion of the hooks throughthe opening in the panel for fitting the mounting device thereto, forcamming the outer ends of the hooks inwardly toward each other forhooking them onto the marginal edges of the opening in the panel.

9. A mounting device according to claim 3 which is a single integralitem of molded plastic material of elongated shape and the aperture isenlongated in the same direction, the hooks are at the ends of theaperture and the hooks have shanks the inner ends of which define theends of the aperture, the body portion has end apertures longitudinallybeyond the first aperture, and the hooks have hook elements extendinglongitudinally away from each other and in register with said endapertures and having longitudinal dimensions substantially equal to saidend apertures, said hooks being inclined toward the body portion indirection toward their outer free ends.

10. A mounting device according to claim 1 in conjunction with aninstrument mounted thereon and having an actuating button extendedthrough said aperture in the mounting device, and the actuating 'buttonhaving a predetermined range of operational movement, and the mountingelements consist of hooks at the edges of the aperture at the oppositeends of the movement of the actuating button.

11. The combination set out in claim 10 in which the mounting device hasa front surface fitted flat to the panel and has securing elementsextending from the opposite and rear face of the body portion, theinstrument is secured to the body portion through said securingelements, and the instrument is entirely rearwardly of the body portionexcept for said actuating button.

12. The combination mounting device and instrument set out in claim 11in further conjunction with said panel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,446,141 7/1948 Parsons 200-1683,213,189 10/ 1965 Mitchell et al. 200-l68 3,273,104 9/1966 Krol 2001683,298,641 1/ 1967 Puerner 24827 ROBERT K. SCHAEFER, Primary Examiner.

H. O. J ONES, Assistant Examiner.

1. A DEVICE FOR MOUNTING AN INSTRUMENT ON A PANEL, THE INSTRUMENT HAVINGAN ELEMENT PROJECTABLE THROUGH AN OPENING IN THE PANEL FOR MANUAL ACCESSON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE PANEL, THE MOUNTING DEVICE INCLUDING A BODYPORTION ADAPTED TO BE FITTED TO THE PANEL AND HAVING AN APERTUREREGISTERABLE WITH SAID OPENING IN THE PANEL OF RECEIVING SAID ELEMENT OFTHE INSTRUMENT, AND ALSO HAVING EXTENSIONS LATERALLY OF THE APERTURE FORSECUREMENT OF THE INSTRUMENT THEREOF BY MEANS OF WHICH THE INSTRUMENT ISSUPPORTED ENTIRELY BY THE MOUNTING DEVICE, AND THE MOUNTING DEVICEINCLUDING MOUNTING ELEMENTS AT THE MARGINAL EDGES OF THE APERTUREEXTENDABLE INTO SAID OPENING AND OPERATIVELY ENGAGEABLE WITH THEMARGINAL EDGES OF THE OPENING FOR MOUNTING THE DEVICE, AND THEINSTRUMENT, ON THE PANEL.